A Wokingham man who wants to “give something back” following the loss of family and friends in the last year is to walk 630 miles in their honour.

Peter Hawkey will be putting his best fundraising foot forward for three charities when he attempts to walk The South West Coastal Path in August.

Starting off at Minehead in North Somerset on Monday, August 1, the 31-year-old music student will spend the following five weeks hiking through the county and around Devon and Cornwall before finishing in Poole in Dorset.

Benefitting from his walk will be Cancer Research UK, Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres and The Stroke Association.

According to facts and figures the path is the longest of the national trails in the UK and has a total incline of 35,000 metres, which is around four times the height of Mount Everest.

The Oxford Brookes University student, who lives in Woosehill, has been preparing for the challenge by carrying out regular walks and running around The Look Out in Bracknell. He said: “I have wanted to do it for a number of years, and as I am planning on doing it for charity I cannot back out of it.

“Quite simply I will be walking around The South West Coastal Path, which is around 630 miles long.

“The charities I have chosen myself as sadly within my close circle of friends there has been quite a few deaths, so I am trying to raise some money and give something back.

“The aim is to complete the walk in five weeks, but obviously you cannot guarantee what might happen when doing it.

“I have walked parts of it before and one time it was really windy. If it is anything like that again it could take longer.

“But I am prepared for it. While in Oxford I was going to the gym quite a lot, but since I have been back here in Wokingham I have been out walking with a heavy backpack and running around the Look Out.”

Mr Hawkey will seek shelter during the walk through his trusted tent, as he believes staying in Bed and Breakfasts along the way “defeats the object” of raising money.

Supporting him along the route will be friends and family, who will be gathering at various points along the trek to wish him well and offer moral support.

He has so far raised around £200 through “posting a couple of Facebook messages” however, he does not intend to publicise the event until nearer the start date.

However, he has set up a fundraising website for those wishing to go online to donate to the cause.